Hope Like the Sun
by Lavender Green Tea
Summary: Post Episode IX (So, spoilers). Our heroes set out to rebuild the Republic in the Galaxy after the fall of the First Order. Still mourning the loss of her mentors and her rival, Rey is hearing voices: Is someone reaching out to her, or is she losing herself in her grief?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

The twin suns burned on the horizon casting a red-orange glow over the dunes. Rey Skywalker basked in their warmth and felt at ease. For the first time in her life there was a sense of peace in the galaxy.

She had debated clearing the sand from the ruins of the Skywalker moisture farm and staying a while longer, but knew that Poe Dameron would kill her if she kept his precious droid away from home for too long. No, she had decided, this was not to be her home. There was still work to be done all over the galaxy, and she felt sure that she couldn't stay tethered to one place for too long again.

Rey took a long breath of the warm, dry air and let herself sink into the sand, legs crossed beneath her, BB-8 at her side. She let her mind wander back to the sands of Jakku where she had spent so much of her life waiting. It seemed like a lifetime ago that she had dug through scrap leftover from battles fought long before she was born, hoping to find pieces that could be traded for rations.

The suns were nearly hidden behind the dunes now and BB-8 rattled off an inquisitive beep to his companion. She smiled.

"No, BB-8, we're not staying here. I know you're not fond of deserts. You can go wait in the ship - I'll be along soon. Promise," she told the little astromech.

Exasperated, BB-8 trilled and headed off to the Falcon to wait. Rey had seen many worlds since leaving Jakku with Finn, but something about the desert still spoke to her and soothed her. It reminded her of a simpler time. She laid back into the sand, her head resting on her pack and gazed up at the stars as they appeared in the evening sky. So many systems lay before her and she had no idea where to start. She knew that she would need to regroup with her friends, but beyond that, they were free to travel the galaxy, spreading the news of the Resistance victory at Exegol and rebuilding the Republic. It was a job for someone with more knowledge of such things than her, she thought.

Her eyes clenched as a tear fell, surprising her. She hadn't realized how emotional she had become. She sat up quickly and realized that the tears were welling up in her eyes and gravity pulled them down as soon as it took hold of them. Rey had not spoken of what had happened on Exegol to Poe and Finn yet, nor did she ever plan to tell them. It was a pain that she would bear, knowing that it would be difficult, likely impossible, for them to ever understand.

"Ben," she whispered into the wind.

Rey sat up and folded her legs beneath her again and cleared her mind. She could feel the Force flow through her body as she connected with it. She was lighter than air as she joined with this mysterious presence, allowing it to lift her from the ground. A wisp of sand blew up into the wind and circled around her, followed by several more.

"Be with me," she chanted.

When she lay nearly defeated, Rey had been able to reach out and connect with the Jedi of the past. A connection had opened between them that let their power join hers and gave her the strength that she had needed to defeat Darth Sidious once and for all. She hoped that if all Jedi joined this chorus upon their deaths that there might be one that she would be able to find in the Force.

"Be with me," tumbled from her lips with a small sob as she realized that she might not be able to find him. "Be with me, Ben. Be with me. Please."

Rey crashed down to the sand, landing on her hands and knees. Searching the Force for any kind of answers, what was she thinking? Of course that wouldn't work. He was no Jedi, after all. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she gathered fistfuls of sand. Rey stood and steadied herself when a cool breeze blew across her tear-stained cheek, causing her heart to skip a beat. It's just the wind, she told herself, trudging back to the Falcon's lowered ramp. BB-8 was waiting near the door. He clearly hadn't wanted to stray too far from Rey. She smiled and nudged his dome.

"Chewie, fire up the engines," Rey called as she entered the cockpit. "Time to go grab a drink."

The Wookie roared his approval and engaged the engines. The ship took off under Rey's control and pivoted, headed off in the direction of Mos Eisley. Poe had warned Rey about Mos Eisley, telling her something about scum and villainy and to watch her back, but she couldn't care less. She could think of nowhere else to honor the late Han Solo than in the cantina where he'd met Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi all those years ago.

Rey instructed BB-8 to stay on the ship, concerned that the cantina's no droids permitted policy was still in effect. Chewie and his bowcaster led the way as Rey followed, her lightsaber concealed under a loose poncho. Desert planets may be hot during the day, but once the suns had disappeared, the chill had set in quickly.

.

.

.

The bar was packed to the brim that evening and there was hardly room for a Wookie to make it through the crowd. He took Rey by the hand and pushed a few people as needed - no one really felt like pushing back against Chewbacca. They arrived at a table in the corner of the room that was occupied with a group of Duros. Chewie growled something at them in Shriiwook and they quickly dispersed, taking their unfinished beverages with them.

"Well that was rude," Rey chided him as she took a seat.

He grunted back.

"No, it was very rude. We could have found other seats or stood at the bar,' she responded.

Chewie looked hurt when he grumbled lowly at her.

She smiled. "This is your booth?"

The Wookie laughed and pointed to the edge of the table where Rey looked and saw a name carved into the wooden surface. She smiled as she read the name: Han Solo.

A waitress no older than Rey approached the table. "Can I get you something to drink? We're out of Toniray wine, I'm afraid but I recommend the Jet Juice."

"We'll have two Corellian Whiskeys, please," Rey told her, and Chewie cut in. "A whole bottle? Chewie, we do not need an entire bottle of whiskey. Please ignore my friend."

The waitress grinned. "Last server to ignore a request from a Wookie had their arm ripped off. I'll grab a bottle and some glasses for you, love."

Chewie chuckled beside her and Rey smiled. They didn't exactly have to be anywhere at a certain time, so she supposed it would be all right if they slept in the docking bay for the night.

"So this is really where you met them?" Rey asked, incredulously. Her eyes were wandering over every detail of the cantina. "I heard that Obi Wan had sliced off a patron's arm when he threatened Master Skywalker. Is that true?"

He nodded and pointed to the spot at the bar where he had been standing with Kenobi when the lightsaber had activated. Chewie told her that it was some time since anyone in the bar had seen a lightsaber and it had caused quite a raucous.

She smiled. "I'd imagine so!"

The waitress returned then with their bottle and three glasses, pouring the first one for each of them and helping herself to the third cup.

"Who are we drinking to tonight, my friends?" She asked.

Chewbacca howled as he lifted his drink.

"He was a good smuggler and an even better man," Rey added.

Smiling, the waitress clinked glasses with her patrons. "To Han Solo, then. Cheers!"

They each drained their drink in one gulp, although Rey sputtered on the liquid as it burned its way down her esophagus. Chewie slapped her several times on the back, causing her to hold up a hand in protest. She coughed a few more times as she insisted that she was fine.

"Really, I'm ok. I've got another toast to make, pass me your glass." Rey told him. Their waitress had wandered off by now and Rey poured a second drink for each of them, raising hers. "To Ben Solo. May he finally know peace in the Force."

Chewbacca stared at her for a long moment.

"Are we going to drink or not?" Rey demanded.

He growled in question and Rey breathed out a sigh. She drained her glass and told him the story of the man who had been Kylo Ren.

"I wanted to talk to you sooner, but I knew that it would be difficult," Rey told him. "For both of us. From the first moment I met him something in me told me that there was still good in him and I was right. Leia was right. So was Han."

Tears were streaming down her cheeks now and the bottle was nearly half gone. Chewie patted her shoulder with a furry paw and tried to sound reassuring.

"I was alone for so long but when I was with him I just wasn't. I had spent so long waiting for my parents not knowing that they weren't what my soul was missing. We had this connection that I can't even begin to describe. It was like when he was there I felt whole and I think that he felt it, too." Rey hung her head between her shoulders, a lock of her hair falling in her face. "He had been so very lonely."

And then she was wrapped in a pair of massive Wookie arms as Chewie thanked her for sharing with him what his little sidekick had gone through after their parting. Her tears soaked into his fur as he patted her head and held her close. There truly was nothing quite as comforting as a hug from a Wookie.

Rey choked back her tears for a moment and poured another glass. Chewie tried to argue with her that she had had enough, but she would not hear it.

"To my parents, who died to protect me," she said and drank, refilling as soon as the glass was empty.

She raised it again. "To Leia Organa; Princess, general, friend, mentor, and hero of the Rebellion and the Resistance."

The whiskey burned, but it did not deter the next pour. "To Luke Skywalker; Jedi Master, Rebel Hero, and galaxy's worst uncle."

Rey choked now as she swallowed. "One for you, Chewie, my friend. For being with me every step of the way. For letting me jump in an escape pod and go try to save Ben from himself, for making sure that Poe didn't blow up the Falcon, and for bringing half the galaxy to battle the Final Order. We'd have been lost without you."

The bottle was nearly gone and she emptied the last of the amber liquid into her cup. "And Ben, oh my stars. Thank the maker for you, Ben Solo. You saved my life and showed me that there is still good in even the darkest of places. Goodbye, my love."

Rey drained the last of the drink and the cup fell back to the table, shattering. She saw a streak of red and then felt weightless and then everything went dark.

**Disclaimers**: 

I think it goes w/o saying that I don't own the Star Wars universe or its characters. 

**Authors Note: **

-So, this is my first fic in over 10 years. Wow. 

-I'm a mom, wife, writer, (almost) librarian, and grad student. As such, updates will probably be every 1-2 weeks for now. 

\- I truly love every single Star Wars movie, yes, even Episode I. Empire will always be my favorite. 3 

\- I know you're not gatekeeping, but I've been a SW fan since 1990 and I've watched and re-watched the movies many, many times since then. 

\- I'm a bandwagon Reylo. 

\- I really did love TROS.

Anyway, I think that's it. Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Rey couldn't be sure what kind of vehicle had run her over, but she was sure that whatever it was had been at least the size of the _Falcon_. She rolled over in her bed, clutching at her head and realized that she was about to be sick. She barely managed to pull herself out of her berth and into the 'fresher before she was suddenly, and violently, haunted by all of the drink that she had consumed the previous night.

When she emerged into the main room of the ship, she was surprised to see Chewie asleep at the dejarik table. He stirred as the metal flooring clanked with each of Rey's steps.

"Sorry to wake you," she muttered, her cheeks flushed and her hair disheveled.

He shrugged and stretched out his enormous frame with a yawn. She wondered if he'd stationed himself there to make sure that she hadn't gotten herself into any trouble overnight. Rey set about making some caf in the Falcon's small galley. She was sure that they could both use a cup after drowning their sorrows. She knew that she should eat, as well, but nothing available seemed to call out to her cravings. It was still somewhat strange to think that she could just hop off of the ship and go trade credits for food.

Rey found it amusing that the mugs available in the galley were all Wookie sized. Perhaps Han must have enjoyed drinking caf enough to warrant such big vessels. She smiled at his memory, knowing that she was following in his footsteps in this small way. She poured a cup for her companion and herself and savored the hot beverage as it warmed her soul and soothed her aching body.

"I'm sorry for last night," Rey said over the rim of her mug.

Chewie shook his head at her.

"Truly. I shouldn't have put that burden on you to know what truly happened there. It's in the past. I've just got to pick up and carry on."

He slung a heavy arm around her and dragged her in for a hug before grunting some words of wisdom in her direction.

Rey smiled. "Yeah, me too. Want to come along and find some food out in town? I could use a proper meal before we get back to work."

Chewie elected to stay behind and make some small repairs on the ship, but Rey was eager to grab some food and explore Mos Eisley for a bit before they took off towards Ajan Kloss. Surely she wouldn't find too much trouble while trying to rustle up some food, but still she packed some credits, a book, and her data pad in her satchel and clipped her lightsaber to her belt before wrapping her torso in a light shawl to protect her from the rays of both of the system's suns.

The streets bustled with activity. Shops were set up for the day and people of all species were out perusing their wares. Rey stopped by a stall selling jewelry and admired the pendants. She'd never afforded herself the luxury of wearing anything that wasn't practical on Jakku and didn't see a reason to start now. Then she remembered Leia and her many pieces. Heirlooms, or gifts from Han, most likely, she thought.

The shopkeeper noticed her after a moment and came to her side. "Found something you like, dear? Rings are really my specialty. Everything you'll find is handmade by yours truly."

Rey beamed at her. "I'm just looking. They're all lovely, but I'm not sure if I would ever have the occasion to wear such beautiful pieces."

"Nonsense, child, you can wear anything anytime and anywhere! Try something on. I'm sure you'll love it." She told her.

Rey reached for a fairly simple golden ring with a design hammered into its surface. She slipped it onto her finger and admired it. It gleamed in the light of the early afternoon. It fit her perfectly, but still, she wasn't sure if she should waste the credits on something as trivial as jewelry. She frowned and removed it, putting it back on the stand.

"It's really beautiful, thank you, but I don't think I should just now." She said to the woman with a sad smile.

"I'll hang on to it for you - pick it up next time that you're back, then." The woman gave her a smile and returned to her work.

Rey felt an emptiness where the ring had been a moment before, but she pushed the thought from her mind. Jedi were not materialistic and she didn't recall Master Skywalker having any such baubles. Perhaps another time.

She found a cafe a little off the beaten path that served some local specialties and decided to try her luck with the cuisine. She settled on a Bantha steak with mashed tubers and some kind of green vegetable that she had never seen before. Food on Jakku had been both scarce and bland so Rey savored every bite of the well seasoned dish.

Rey wandered a while longer through the town taking in the sights and admiring the small shops. There were robes, tunics, and leggings of many colors available at one stall and she decided to purchase some. Everything on her wardrobe had been battle worn and might not be the most suitable for wearing to any kind of diplomatic situations that might arise once she'd rejoined the resistance forces and leaders.

Making her way back towards the berth where the Falcon was docked, Rey sensed that she was being followed. She was suddenly thankful that her lightsaber was at her side, should she need it. She felt eyes on her back as she scanned the items for sale. She took her time now to see if she could spot her shadow in the crowd. Rey closed her eyes and reached out with the Force. It was then that she realized that she was being followed but she did not sense any danger. Just then, a small girl ploughed into Rey's thigh before quickly hiding behind a rack of robes.

"Are you lost? Do you need any help?" Rey asked her as the girl pulled a piece of fabric in front of her face.

She shook her head and finally spoke. "Are you Rey Skywalker?"

Rey smiled kindly at the girl. "I am."

"My nanna said she met you at the old Lars Homestead. She didn't think there were anymore Skywalkers." The girl said softly.

"I came to see where the Skywalkers came from. Do you know about them?" Rey asked her.

"Just that there are stories about them being Jedi knights. Are you a Jedi?" The girl asked, her eyes finding Rey's lightsaber.

She nodded to the girl. "I am. What's your name?"

"Alara. Alara Denz." She replied.

"Well, Alara Denz, what do you know of the Jedi?"

"They help people and protect them. That's what nanna says. I wish I could be a Jedi, too." The girl answered, beaming.

"Close your eyes, Alara," Rey instructed the girl. "Reach out with your feelings and see if you can sense what's around you."

The girl obliged and a serene look passed over her face. She was quiet for a long while before her eyes snapped back open and her jaw dropped.

"Watch out!" Alara cried, pulling Rey to the ground with her as a blaster bolt fired off over their heads.

Rey whirled around with her lightsaber ignited to face the oncoming danger. Stormtroopers. She held up her hand to channel the Force towards them and pushed the three armored figures into the rough duracrete wall behind them.

"We are no longer enemies," Rey told them with a loud, clear voice.

"Bantha spit," the one who had recovered the fastest retorted. "You're resistance scum and our orders from the Supreme Leader are to bring you in."

That remark stung, but she collected herself. "The Supreme Leader is dead' the First Order has fallen."

The troopers all looked to each other as if one of them could confirm that she was lying, before the woman asked her, "How do we know that that is the truth? You could be using the Force on us."

Rey extinguished her saber and approached them. She could feel in the Force that the troopers were anxious and untrusting and she could not blame them. Standing in front of the one that fashioned herself as their leader, Rey removed the woman's helmet and saw a face younger than her own staring back.

"Were you taken? Do you remember where you come from?" She asked her.

The girl shook her head. "You're not going to trick me with this mock kindness, Jedi! Get the binders on her."

The other troopers looked to each other before setting down their weapons. One placed a hand on the woman's shoulder when he spoke to her.

"We haven't heard from command in days, KT. I don't think that she's lying," he told her before turning to Rey. "Did you kill Kylo Ren?"

"I did not," she replied. "Ben Solo gave his life for mine and helped to destroy the Final Order. Your leadership is all gone. The rebuilding will start soon and we are hoping to gain access to First Order records on where you've all come from so that you can get home if you'd like."

Alara watched on from behind Rey in awe. She knew that Jedi were fierce warriors, but she never imagined that the attack by the stormtroopers would result in them laying down their blasters.

"Come, let's have a drink and I can answer any questions that you might have," Rey told them. "Alara, would you like to join us?"

The girl beamed and took Rey's hand as they headed off towards the milk stand.

"So Kylo Ren renounced the First Order?" The trooper called KT asked, her eyes wide.

"He did. Kylo Ren died on Kef Bir and Ben Solo was reborn. He helped to defeat Emperor Palpatine on Exegol and gave his life for mine there." Rey told them. "It was incredibly selfless and he became one with the Force."

Rey had learned that the troopers were called KT-1287, RT-0710, and DL-1026. They sat sipping blue milk in what little shade they could find nearby. The suns were sweltering to Rey in her light tunic and leggings - she could only imagine how the troopers felt in full gear.

"We _were_ kids that were taken," KT told her then. "I never would have chosen this life, but it kept me fed and alive. I can't believe that there were others who deserted. It makes me wish that we had seen that path and taken it."

The Jedi placed her hand over the other woman's on the table and looked into her green eyes. "No one will fault you for not deserting. It's what we do when we rebuild that will matter, KT. I have a ship and you are all welcome to come with me to start over and start searching for your families if you'd like."

The troopers all smiled at that and DL responded, "We'd like that very much. We were just on a scouting mission out here and once we landed we lost contact with our command. We had heard whispers of the fall but couldn't believe it. I still can't, but I'm glad."

Rey smiled at them. "You must have felt very alone out here with no contact. I can't imagine that the last few days have been easy."

DL drained their drink. "The last few days? More like the last 15 years! Thank you, Rey. Thank you for talking to us instead of fighting back. I think I can speak for the three of us when I say that we're very grateful to you for the chance."

"It's the right thing to do. We've got to set an example for the future, haven't we?" Rey responded with a smile before finishing her own drink. "Speaking of which, Alara, let's get you back to your Nanna. I would hate for her to worry."

Alara pouted. "But I want to go with you!"

"I know how exciting it must seem to get away from a planet that is just desert from horizon to horizon, but I promise that we're not going anywhere very fun. I'll be back soon enough, little one." Rey told the girl.

She smiled. "When you come back, will you teach me to be a Jedi like you?"

Rey, thinking of the girl's quick instinct when the troopers had appeared considered her words. "I just might, Alara Denz. But for now, it's back home for you."

Author's Note: Thanks for the kind words and reviews, everyone! I forgot how exciting it can be to see those in my inbox. Sorry it took a little longer than planned to get the 2nd chapter out, but ch 3 is already in the works and should be up this weekend. This one ended up being re-written like 3 times because the dialogue just wouldn't flow naturally. Here's hoping that that goes away when some more familiar characters come into the fold! Thanks for reading and may the Force be with you!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"_Kriff_," Poe Dameron muttered under his breath as he heard his name called from behind him. "Walk and talk, kid, I've got another meeting in 5 minutes."

"General, I know that you're busy, but we really need these supply orders signed off on. The delegation from Naboo will be arriving shortly to negotiate our use of the Naberrie estate during reconstruction, but we might want to keep everyone fed and restock our supplies while we work out those details," a young woman said, chasing him with a data pad.

Poe nodded his approval and took the data pad to enter in his override code. "Get it taken care of, Tahiri. I'll be out all afternoon so let Connix know if you need anything else."

"Yes sir, General Dameron." She gave him a quick salute and retreated.

The General had spent years longing for a command, but now that it was his he'd give anything to just soar around in his X-Wing blowing things up. That is, if there were actually still things out there to blow up.

"Any word from her?" Finn asked as he fell into step beside his friend, having spotted him walking towards their makeshift conference rooms.

"Don't you think I would have told you already if there was?" Poe replied tersely.

Finn held up his hands in defense. "No need to get snippy, Poe, I know we're all stretched pretty thin. I'm headed into this one with you with some reports from the mechanics on the fleet."

Poe stopped in his tracks. "I'm sorry. I'm just. This is a lot and I don't have a clue what I'm doing. Where the hell is Leia when we need her, right?"

"You're doing fine. We all are. Just keep moving forward. Literally - we've got this meeting in t-minus 2 minutes." Finn clapped his friend on the back to set him off in the right direction. "I'm sure it will be fine."

"We're running dangerously low on funds," came the news that no one wanted to hear as Poe and Finn joined other fledgling New Republic leaders around a large round table. Some of the members of the council were attending via holo, but most were present in the meeting room.

Poe met eyes with Admiral D'acy, who had delivered the blow. "How dangerously low?"

"We've got enough to last us maybe another 3 cycles. We'll have to appeal to the banking clans for any funding beyond that or find some new allies with deep pockets." She replied.

"Guess it's time to turn on the charm then, Dameron," came the voice of Zorii Bliss.

The smuggler turned fledgling diplomat sat opposite him, sans helmet for the first time since he could remember. Her hair fell in ringlets around her face and made him remember why she hid behind the mask - a face like hers was one in a billion systems.

"I made some connections on Corellia back that might be able to help us out now that the First Order has left them high and dry. Finn, let's try to schedule that trip as soon as Rey gets back." Poe said before turning back to Zorii. "And Bliss, I'm sure you've got some contacts in your comm that can help us out."

She scoffed. "Hardly. I don't have any that want to get involved with government regulations."

"What regulations? We're not even a government yet," Finn countered.

"I'll see if I can pull any strings," she conceded.

"Jannah, how is it going with access to the First Order archives?" Poe asked.

She shook her head, her brown curls bouncing with her movement. "No luck so far, General. I've got some allies on the inside of whatever is left of their structure but none with archive clearance. We're going to have to get in there ourselves, I think, but we'll have to find a way to do it diplomatically. We can't risk alienating them any more than they already are if we're going to bring them into the fold."

"Agreed," D'acy replied. "We'll tread carefully there. Perhaps the more former First Order we come into contact with the more we can interest in the project."

Finn cleared his throat and chimed in. "The fight against the Final Order cost us a lot of ships and most of the ones that did come home came back with some extensive damage. I spoke with the chief mechanic this morning and the repairs to the fleet are 80% completed. There is still a large store of parts from scrapped ships that will help with piecing them back together and it looks like we should have all of our ships operational again within a fortnight. We took heavy losses, but a lot of the crews that joined in at Exegol have opted to stay and help for the time being."

"Good news, I like that," Lando Calrissian chimed in from across the room. "Any word yet from Rey and Chewie?"

Poe shook his head. "Not yet, General, and if they don't get their asses back here in the next couple of days I'm going to go out there and bring them back myself."

Lando laughed. "You sound like Leia whenever Luke would run off on one of his adventures. Give her some space, Poe. She might really need it right now."

The younger man nodded. "I know. I just worry she's going to get my droid into some kind of trouble out there."

Zorii raised an eyebrow at him. "Sure, you are. Well, I think that's all we've got for this session. Anyone object to breaking for lunch and getting on with what we need to be doing?"

A chorus of agreements rang around the room. The holos flickered out and those in the room rose from their seats to get back to the real work.

Ajan Kloss was a humid planet covered in old growth jungles. Vines covered trees and rock faces everywhere except for the small area that the resistance had cleared out for their staging area. Even then, their modifications to the landscape had been minimal. Finn wandered around, hands in pockets, and trying to keep his mind clear and open.

It had been a few months now that he had found himself able to feel the energy signatures of other beings around him and he had begun to realize that this was the Force. Perhaps he would never tap into it the way that Rey could and use it's power as a tool, but being able to read a room and get a sense of what those around him were thinking was proving to be useful in these early days of the rebuilding process.

Finn sat on a large rock, legs crossed beneath him, and began to reach out with his mind. He sensed living creatures, mostly small, in the trees and forest around him. He could feel the bustle of resistance members back at the base. He gasped as he realized that there was someone nearby; near and watching him.

"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you." Poe said, approaching from behind him.

"It's cool, just didn't see you there. What's up?" Finn asked.

Poe huffed out a long sigh. "How are we supposed to do this? You were a Stormtrooper. I'm a pilot,"

"Spice runner," Finn corrected.

"General," Poe countered. "You're really not going to let that go are you?"

The other man laughed and gave him a shrug. "I mean, it's not every day you find out your best friend was a spice runner in another life."

'Yeah, well we can't all be perfect," Poe retorted.

"I'm not perfect," Finn laughed, "far from it."

Before either of them fully knew what was happening, Poe Dameron had closed the gap between himself and his friend and had planted his mouth fully on Finn's. Their lips melted together for a long moment and the world stopped spinning or was spinning too fast. Neither of them could be sure. They broke apart slowly and their eyes met.

"What the hell was that?" Finn asked, catching his breath.

Poe shook his head. "Sorry. I'm sorry."

What Poe hadn't counted on was Finn grabbing his arm as he turned to leave and pulling him back to him, placing his hand on the side of Poe's scruffy face and kissing him back. "Don't be."

They were both quiet as they rested their foreheads against each other, neither quite sure what to do next. A cool breeze rippled through the jungle and Finn was suddenly very aware of all of Dameron's feelings as they reached him through the Force. Finn smiled and pulled Poe into an embrace that they could have shared forever.

"_Kriff_," Poe muttered as his comm chirped. He laughed and kissed Finn once again before answering. "Go for Dameron."

"General, we thought you'd want to know that the _Falcon _is back. Should I let them know you'll meet them at the landing field?" The voice on the other end asked.

"We'll be there," he replied. "Tell her to stay put."

Rey, Chewie, and BB-8 exited the _Millennium Falcon_ followed by their new companions. Finn and Poe caught sight of them as they approached the ship and smiles beamed across both of their faces. Rey caught her friends and pulled them both into a hug as BB-8 rolled around their feet, nuzzling his dome into Poe's leg.

"Hiya, Beebee," he greeted his droid, dropping down to his level to shake him around. "I missed you, buddy! Where did she take you this time? Tatooine? You took my droid to Tatooine? You know he hates sand, Rey!"

Rey had tuned out Poe, however and was introducing Finn to the stormtroopers that they had picked up in Mos Eisley.

"Welcome to the Resistance," Finn told them. "Er, Republic? What are we now? Anyway, glad you're here and not trying to keep the First Order afloat."

KT smiled. "Yeah, something tells me that that would have been a dead end. A lot of troopers look up to you, you know. You'll have to regale us with your stories someday, General."

Warmth spread across Finn's cheeks. "I just did what I thought was right. Now, I'm sure Rey already told you that we're doing what we can to find out where all of the First Order stormtroopers came from, but if you guys want to pick names in the meantime, we'd be happy to stop calling you by your Registration Numbers."

"Way ahead of you, Finn," DL told him. "I'm Delair. KT is Kata and RT is Ryatt. We had a while in hyperspace to start thinking about it."

"All right, well let's get you all debriefed and settled in, then!" Finn exclaimed, leading the group into the comfort of their headquarters.

"Poe," Rey said to get his attention. "Don't be mad about sand - I'll get Beebee-Ate an oil bath as soon as we're settled."

Poe, having seemingly forgotten about being angry with her, pulled her into a hug that surprised her. "I'm just glad you're back and he's in one piece. Glad you're in one piece, too."

"Oh," Rey exclaimed as she hugged Poe back. "Yes, well it's not like we ran into a lot of opposition out there. Has everything been okay here?"

He nodded. "It's fine. I'll catch you up to speed. C'mon, let's go grab some ale."

"It's morning, isn't it?" Rey asked. "Why not grab some caf?"

"Fine, but I'm putting a shot in it and you're not going to stop me, okay?" Poe said pointing a finger in her direction.

"Wouldn't dream of it, Dameron." She replied, following him and BB-8 off towards the dining hall.

Author's Note: Hey! Still with me? Awesome! It's going to take a while for any Reylo components, and I lurve Stormpilot, so there's some shippy goodness in this chapter and still to come. Thanks for reading and please, if you love it or hate it, or even feel indifferent give me a quick review so I know I'm what direction I'm heading in. Thanks again and May the Force Be With You!


	4. Chapter4

**Author's Note**: Sorry it's been so long! I've had the crud and some deadlines for grad school. Weekly updates will be a thing from here on out. Thanks for sticking around and please, if you're enjoying this give me some feedback. I've been out of the scene for so long that I don't know if this is good, bad, somewhere in between... Yeah. Thanks and MTFBWY.

**CW**: Anxiety/panic attack

Rey sat beside Poe in the dining hall, her mug filled with piping hot caf and a small breakfast platter before her. She tucked in as he started to fill her in on what she'd missed in the time that she'd been away. She supposed he'd tell her about everything except whatever it was that was going on between him and Finn. She smiled.

"What?" He asked suddenly.

"Nothing. I'm just glad to be back." She replied. "You can keep going. You were at the part where you were telling me that we're nearly out of funds."

He ran a hand through his curls and Rey noticed for the first time that they were beginning to show flecks of silver. He took a long swill of his Spiran Caf, a strong drink that they had first encountered during their time at Black Spires Outpost, and smiled.

"Yeah, that. So, we're just about broke, we're meeting with some folks from Naboo to see if we can move into Leia's family home outside of Theed, and I kissed Finn." Poe told her and she grinned. "You don't have anything to say to that?"

Rey's eyes crinkled as she smiled at her friend and took her hand in his. "I do. I'm happy for you. I take it that he was receptive?"

He grinned. "Yeah, something like that."

"Well then, good. We need some happiness in this galaxy, Poe, and these are the little wins that will bring it to us." She replied, beaming.

"So you're not upset?" He asked, seriously.

Rey raised her eyebrows at him. "Why would I be?"

And at that moment, Finn plopped down beside her on the bench, grinning.

"Why is he drinking Spiran Caf?" He asked Rey.

"Seems he had something important to say and needed some liquid courage," she joked back with her friend.

Finn met eyes with Poe then and both of them flushed scarlet.

"Stars, you two are idiots. You realize it's been all over your faces for the entire time we've known each other, right?" She huffed. "And no, Poe, I'm not upset. I missed you both. I really am glad to be back."

Finn wrapped his arm around Rey and planted a quick kiss on the top of her head. "Thanks, Rey. We missed you, too. Poe was about to come track down his droid."

Poe emptied his drink and asked, "So, what was up? You left pretty suddenly and we were all pretty worried about you."

Rey's eyes turned sad as she considered her words. She chewed the bite of food that she had taken a little longer than necessary to avoid speaking, but she could feel their eyes on her and knew that she couldn't hide forever.

"I went to Tatooine to pay my respects. Luke, Leia, Han," she paused. "And Ben. They're all gone and I needed some guidance from the Force on what comes next."

Poe started at the last name. "Who's Ben?"

She took a deep breath to tell the story and a sob came out instead.

Finn locked eyes with her and spoke his next words gently, "Rey, I felt you die while we were at Exegol. I felt it in the Force. You were gone and then you weren't."

Tears ran down her freckled cheeks as she choked out the words, "I did die. Ben Solo," she paused. "Kylo Ren. They were one in the same. He fought the Emperor with me and gave the last of his life to bring me back."

She knew that they didn't understand, but they both drew her into their arms, Poe moving to her side of the table. They held her close and shielded her from view as she broke down into their embrace.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't be like this." She said after a few moments. "I'm fine."

"You're not fine and that's okay," Poe told her. "We can talk more about it whenever you're ready or never again if that's what you want." He planted a kiss on the top of her head and gripped her hand as she squeezed back in silent gratitude.

Rey had taken solace back on the Falcon in her berth with the ancient Jedi texts that she'd absconded from Ahch-to with surrounding her on the bedspread. She thumbed idly through a volume that looked to be the oldest of them. Translations of the text had been inserted between each page. They were carefully handwritten on some kind of parchment in scrawling calligraphy, in an ink so deep blue that it was nearly black.

"Mind some company?" Finn asked, rapping on the wall opposite her bed.

She smiled and placed the book at her side. "Not at all."

Rey patted a spot on the bed beside her, inviting him to sit. The Millennium Falcon had not been built for comfort and she found that the only surface that was not unbearable to sit on for any length of time was the thin mattress built into the wall.

"You know, if this thing is yours, you could probably take over the captain's quarters." He told her. "I'm sure it's probably more comfortable than this thing."

She shook her head. "If anything, Chewie should take it."

They heard the Wookie grunt at them from somewhere beneath the ship where he must have been doing maintenance.

"Fine, neither of us will, then," she called back. "Guess it'll just stay as it is."

"So that conversation earlier," Finn began. "I've been trying to have it with you for a while now."

She nodded. "Since Pasana. I know. How long have you realized it?"

"I think since Jakku, really. I didn't know what it was then, though. I think it was how I knew which way to head towards you and BB-8 instead of into the middle of nowhere and a sandy grave," he replied. "Then it just kept getting stronger. When I fought Ren in that forest it was like I knew where he was going to swing his saber before he did it."

Rey took her friend's hand in hers. "That's the Force, Finn. You can feel it, channel it. I can help, but I don't know that I'd be the best teacher in the galaxy, but I'll do what I can for you."

Finn beamed. "Yeah, that would be amazing."

They bumped their foreheads together lightly, both smiling.

"I'm so glad I found you," he told her, sincerely. "I never would have believed any of this until I saw it actually work, until I felt it. I just had that feeling that made me turn away from the First Order and then that brought me to Poe and then you. I knew I wasn't put in this galaxy to do Ren's bidding, you know?"

Rey's eyebrows knitted together as she nodded quickly in response.

"You okay?" He asked, already knowing the answer.

She drew her knees to her chest and began to rock back and forth, tears falling down her face for the second time that day. Her chest was tight and she struggled to take in air when she breathed. If you can't breathe, you can't live, a voice told her. If you can't live you can be with him...

Rey tried to shake off the darkness that was invading her thoughts and found that it was easier to do now as Finn wrapped his arms around her slender form.

"Rey," he whispered. "It's okay. I've got you."

She nodded again to let him know that she'd heard, but the tears came even harder and her body was racked by gulping sobs. She sucked in air the way that a drowned person takes in water and every one of her muscles contracted in pain. Rey wanted to believe that an outside force, some darkness that had crept into her, was responsible for this, but she knew that to be untrue. Whatever was happening to her now was entirely outside of anyone's control, even her own.

"Chewie," Finn called. "Chewie we need some help up here!"

The last thing that Rey would remember was hearing his heavy footsteps clanging on the metal floor and being swept into her friend's giant, fur-covered arms before darkness wrapped itself around her consciousness.


	5. Chapter5

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Rey came to some time later in medbay, unsure of how long she had been there. Rose Tico sat beside her and was pressing a damp cloth to her head. She smiled kindly and gestured for the doctor. Major Kalonia brought over her datapad and sat down in a seat beside them.

"Do you know where you are?" She asked.

"I'm in medbay," Rey responded.

"And can you tell me your name?" The doctor pressed.

She nodded. "Rey."

Kalonia jotted some notes. "Good. Rey, do you know what happened? Do you remember anything?"

She shook her head. "Not really, no. What's happened?"

"An acute anxiety attack, my dear. Not the end of the galaxy, but it can be scary nonetheless. How do you feel now?" She was shining a light in Rey's eye.

"Fine, I suppose. Why did it happen?" Rey asked.

"That's for you to find out, Rey," was the response. "My training is exclusively in dealing with physiology, but I'm sure we can find someone in our ranks with expertise in the human psyche to help you work it out."

Rey's face scrunched together. "Work what out?"

"Whatever feelings you have that did this to you, of course. Open up." Kalonia shined her light in Rey's mouth.

"You are in perfect health, otherwise. Drink plenty of water today and take this if it starts to happen again. Rose, will you stay with her for a bit while she gets back on her feet? I've still got patients with battle injuries, I'm afraid." Kalonia was a kind woman and must be stretched so thin in the wake of Exegol.

Rose nodded. "Of course, Major."

She took the bottle of tablets that the doctor had proffered her and tucked them into a pouch on her belt. Rey realized then that she had been sitting up straight, all of her muscles tense, while she was being examined and she suddenly felt a wave of pain crash into her.

"Easy does it, Jedi," Rose told her, guiding her back onto the bed. "Let's get you some water and then get you back to the Falcon. Chewie insists that you take the captain's quarters, by the way. No need to live like a stowaway on your own ship."

Rey shook her head softly. "It's not mine, it's Chewie's."

"That's not what the Wookie says, and in case you haven't noticed, no one is really going to argue with him. Besides, Poe already moved your stuff into the room while you were knocked out." Rose replied, a smile pulling at the edges of her mouth.

No, Rey thought, sitting bolt upright. "He didn't need to do that. He didn't move my clothes or anything, did he?"

"If you're worried about him touching your undergarments, I don't think you should be. I think he's got a thing for someone else." Rose teased.

"No, no, that's not it. Never mind. It's fine." Rey slumped back onto the cot. "Rose, will you walk me back there soon? I think I'm just... tired."

She nodded and moved a stand of hair out of Rey's face. "Yeah, I can do that. Anything for a Jedi, right?"

Rey smiled. "You can just call me your friend, you know."

Rose insisted that they stop for food on the walk back and Rey could not have been more grateful. They sat and ate. Rose regaled her with stories of Finn's bravery that she had not been present to witness and she listened intently as Rey told her about the stormtroopers and the girl that she had met on Tatooine.

"I miss Leia," Rose said suddenly. "I wish she could have been here for this part. Rebuilding is hard without someone who's done it all before. I'm sure we'll figure it out, though. Poe and Connix have been pouring over history books from the fall of the Empire and I think that that will help some. I could always use an extra set of hands in the maintenance bay if you need to do something to take your mind off of things, by the way."

"I would very much appreciate that. I'm not sure yet where I'll be most useful, and I need to feel like I'm doing something for our cause." Rey thought for a long moment and drank deeply from her canteen before asking, "Rose, I don't mean to pry, but have you ever had an anxiety attack?"

Her friend nodded. "Yeah. I had them whenever I was separated from my sister when we were kids. Once we realized it was what was causing it, we just stayed together as much as we could. The first few weeks after she died I thought my soul had been torn into two pieces. I felt like spacing myself, even though I knew it wouldn't do anyone any good. I just hurt a lot and didn't want to feel like it anymore."

Rey placed her hand over Rose's. "Thank you, Rose. I'm not glad that you've had them, as well, but I am glad to not feel so alone. I'm especially happy that you're still here."

"Me, too." she returned kindly. "Now, come on, let's get you back to bed. Doctor's orders, right?"

They entered the Falcon and Rey realized at once that Poe had, in fact, moved all of her personal belongings into the Captain's quarters. It did not feel right to claim it as her own, and then she mused about all of the people that could have a rightful stake in it. She had offered the ship back to Lando Calrissian, but he had declined. Han had won it from him fair and square, after all. Chewbacca was happy to stay onboard as first mate, but refused to take ownership of the vehicle. Anyone else who might have once called the ship home was gone.

Rey inspected the space and found that her clothes had all been hung neatly in the small wardrobe across from her bed. She found the black sweater hanging behind the new garments that she had bought on Tatooine and realized that the hole in the torso had been patched by an inexpert hand.

She slipped it off of the hanger and over her head, letting the thick fabric fall down over the camisole and leggings that she had been wearing. The hem fell to the middle of her thighs and the wide neck hung loosely around her shoulders and was determined to slide off of one side or the other. It was then that she marveled at just how much larger than her Ben had been.

When he appeared to her as Kylo Ren in the forest with flowing robes and his face obscured, she had thought that there could be nothing more fearsome in the galaxy than the creature that stalked her. Once she resisted his mind probe, however, she realized that he was probably the most broken adversary anyone had ever faced. His soul was splintering with each second that she was in his presence and they were both aware of it.

Rey was not usually fond of having that kind of effect on a man, but she was grateful that it gave her some insight into her foe. They had spent the last several years playing a high-stakes game of Lothcat and mouse droid across the galaxy and she never would have guessed that it would come to the end that it did. She was grateful for his sacrifice and for the piece of himself that he shared to save her, but her heart ached to be left in this world without him. She suddenly understood those stories of soul mates who died within moments of each other after decades together.

She sat on her bed and pulled her knees to her chest. She tried not to think about it, but couldn't help but wonder if Ben had ever slept there in that bed. Rey closed her eyes and smiled, wrapped in his sweater like a hug. Perhaps if she wore it to sleep she would dream of him that night. She was keenly aware that someone was lurking near the open door to her quarters, but she did not open her eyes and seeing that she was resting, her visitor left without disturbing her.

Poe was seated at the Dejarik table in the main hold of the Falcon when Rey emerged from her slumber hours later. She normally wasn't one to sleep that long, but she had felt drained in the wake of her attack. She gestured towards the patched hole in her sweater.

"Yeah, I thought you wouldn't want to keep a sweater around that looks like it had been run through with a lightsaber. Between you and Finn, I'm getting pretty good at patching up clothes. " Poe told her, drinking from a glass of what looked like whiskey.

"Thanks. I appreciate it. It's a bit big on me, but the hole made it nearly unwearable." Rey responded with a grin, taking a seat at the table with him.

"Should I ask who's shirt it is?" Poe teased.

She shook her head. "No, that's probably not the galaxy's best idea."

He nodded. "Okay, I won't ask. Is that what's got you all..."

Poe's sentence trailed off but Rey nodded nonetheless. "It is."

"I can't pretend that I understand all of it - any of it, really, but I'm here, okay?" He offered. "I'm here, Finn's here, and so is Rose."

Rey smiled. "I know you'll think I'm crazy, but I loved him."

Poe's face crinkled.

"Not Kylo Ren," she corrected quickly. "Just Ben. Without the influence of Palpatine and Snoke, he was very much his mother and father's son. I think you would have liked him had the circumstances been different. Now that he's gone I feel like something is missing. Like I've got this gaping wound."

Poe took Rey's hand over the table. "I won't pretend that I'm sorry Ren is gone, but I am sorry for the loss that you're feeling, Rey."

She nodded. "It was Leia's last stand to make sure that he came back to the light. She never gave up on him."

Poe drained his drink and the glass clinked back onto the table. "I'll never really understand this thing that you guys can do, but there's no denying that it's the most powerful thing in the galaxy. And I'm serious, you know. You can come knock on my door in the middle of the night sobbing about this and I'll answer, okay? It's the least I can do for you after you've done so much for the Resistance, for Leia. For me. Anyway, I'll see you around, Rey. Go rest. "

The corners of Rey's mouth twitched into a half-hearted smile as Poe took his leave. She felt like she should listen and continue to rest, but she'd already been asleep for so long in the last day. She decided instead on exploring areas of the Falcon that she'd not yet combed over in her time aboard the ship. She knew that Chewie's quarters were attached to her own, but she had never actually seen the Wookiee's room. Rey poked her head in and saw a small holoscan on the shelf next to other scans of Wookies - his family, presumably. The scan that caught her eye was of Chewbacca cuddling a small human boy with a shock of dark hair and the biggest grin. Ben.

Rey's eyes clenched tight agains the tears that were sure to come. She breathed and murmured under her breath "be with me," as she recalled Ben's final words to her, spoken not from his lips, but through the Force: "I'll always be with you."

She smiled and wiped back the lone tear that had escaped down her cheek and left the room behind. She may have been a scavenger, but snooping in a friend's room wasn't quite the same thing. Rey turned and examined a small stack of books that adorned a built-in shelf. Her Jedi texts were stacked neatly below the shelf, waiting to be added to the collection. She reached for a book with a brightly colored spine. It was an adventure and featured a brave boy with special abilities. Flipping it open she saw the scrawl of a child on the inside cover - From the Library of Ben Solo. Maybe he was with her after all. Rey took the book, flopped back onto her bed, and began to read.

A/N: So sorry it took so long to update! This crazy worldwide shut down has had me facing my own anxieties. I hope you're all well and now that I'm working from home, I really should try to write more, shouldn't I?


	6. Chapter 6

AN: Life. Has. Been. Crazy. I expected so much more time to write now that grad school is over and I'm working from home, but I forgot about the fact that my kids would have to be homeschooled for a good while there. I finally have my days back to myself 3 Here's a chapter. It's not super long but I kind of like it. I hope you do, too.

Chapter 6

Finn found Poe smelling slightly of alcohol on the outskirts of base. He was finding it easier to let the Force in to guide him and he had followed it's pull to this spot. Poe looked up and smirked at him.

"So, should we talk?" Finn asked. "Or do you just kiss me again and skip the talking part?"

Poe buried his hands in his pockets. "I'm sorry, Finn. I know that was kind of out of nowhere. I should have said something first, but I just didn't know what to say."

Finn shrugged. "I'm not mad. I was surprised, but not mad."

They were standing close together and both took a seat on a rock that overlooked the forest around them. Poe took a small flask out of his jacket pocket and handed it over to Finn. He took a small swig from it and passed it back.

"Does this change anything?" Poe asked. "I can understand if you want some space."

Finn shook his head and reached over to grab Poe's scruffy chin. He pulled his face close to his and their lips locked. They both tasted of the liquor now, but neither was truly inebriated. Poe drew back and his eyes met Finn's.

"Is this what you want? Cause I'm fine with it if you are but you are so important to me. I don't want to mess anything up," Poe asked him.

"Yeah," Finn replied, planting another kiss. "It is. Kind of surprised it took you this long. I thought you were going to kiss me back on D'Qar."

Poe smiled. "I thought about it, but I just got you off of a Star Destroyer. I figured it was a little soon to go corrupting you."

Finn kissed him again and laughed, realizing that they were kissing more than talking. Their bodies were pressed close together and Poe had drawn Finn in with his uninjured arm so that their chests touched. Their hearts both raced and they wore wide grins. Everything about this felt right.

"I wouldn't have minded. Think of how many more minutes like this we could have had if you had planted one on me then?" Finn chuckled.

Poe's fingers found the back of Finn's neck and he cradled the base of his skull, their eyes locked in on one another.

"Finn, you know that I can't do what you and Rey can. I can't feel that, but something is telling me that this is what I need to do. It's like tugging at my stomach and it just feels... right." Poe's lips parted in a wide grin as he spoke the last word.

Finn nodded at him. "Yeah, that's exactly it. Right."

"On a more serious note, though," Poe began. "I know Rey already knows about this, but let's keep it to a minimum around her. She's really hurting and I don't want to be all mushy around her when she's feeling down."

"Agreed. I want to be there for her, but I feel like I keep saying the wrong thing." Finn replied.

Poe ran his fingers through his hair and took a deep breath. "Just, don't talk about Exegol or Kylo Ren, okay? I think it's a really sore subject for her right now."

"Okay, no Kylo Ren talk. Got it," Finn confirmed. "Now, Rey's not here right now so we can still be mushy, right?"

Poe laughed and pulled Finn's face back to his own, both of them grinning as their lips met.

.

.

Kaydel-Ko Connix had a lot of adjusting to do. She was born after the fall of the Empire and raised in the New Republic as a happy-go-lucky kind of girl. That all changed when the First Order came. She knew as soon as she caught wind of the Resistance that was being formed by the famous Leia Organa that she would go and fight. She never could have dreamed that it might mean actually fighting by Leia's side!

She missed her general. Kaydel's family had been loving and kind, but they hadn't understood their daughter when she told them that she was going to go off and fight a war that wasn't directly affecting them on Dulathia. Leia welcomed her into the ranks of the fledgling Resistance with open arms and supported her decision to join from the moment she'd shown up at the door of her apartment on Chandrilla. Connix strived to emulate the woman she so admired, even copying her hairstyles from time to time, hoping that it would mean something to the older woman.

This was the first stretch of time in recent memory where there wasn't a masked enemy hot on their tail or some secret mission to help orchestrate. She knew she shouldn't find her current work to be boring, but Connix was kind of missing the excitement of a battle.

Despite the lack of action and excitement, her day-to-day was still jam packed with responsibilities. The representatives from Naboo were arriving at any time and she was ready with data to share about their operation and why it would be pertinent to be able to work in a furnished building instead of makeshift base that was mostly comprised of workspaces in various ships parked in a cave. It was hardly a glamorous situation.

She had never been to Naboo, but Leia had shared stories with her of her mother's home world. Leia had been granted use of the Naberrie estates in and around the capital, Theed. Connix hoped that now she and the others who had followed Leia into battle would be able to establish offices of the restored Republic in their halls.

"Hey Kay," a voice came from behind her. "Quit daydreaming. D'acy just called a meeting. It sounds like the Naboo delegation is here early."

Rose Tico was one of the sweetest people that Kaydel had ever met, but she enjoyed seeing the business side of her friend come out when it was needed. Rose had grown from an engineer into a capable leader and strategist in the mere months since they'd met.

"Let's go then," she replied, grabbing her data pad and canteen.

.

.

A sleek chrome plated ship touched down on the rough dirt outside of the makeshift base. It gleamed in the late afternoon light and was beautiful, if entirely out of place in its environment. Connix and Rose were joined by the members of their leadership, save for Dameron and Finn. Rose had tried their comms but neither had answered. She assumed they must be with Rey, but when the Jedi arrived to greet the Naboo ship, Rose realized she must have been mistaken.

The ramp opened and small group departed. They were dressed immaculately, their clothes meant for city life on their home planet and not the jungle that they'd traveled to. They were lead by a woman who appeared to be around the same age that Leia had been, her hair delicately coiled on top of her head and her long gown skimming the dirt. She did not seem bothered. She smiled as she approached Rey first.

"You must be the Jedi," the woman said, taking her hands in her own. "I am Pooja Naberrie. Leia was my cousin. It's lovely to meet you."

"Likewise. I'm Rey," she replied, hesitating. "Skywalker. Thank you for coming."

Pooja smiled and Rey could see traces of Leia in her face. Lando stepped forward to play diplomat and ushered the delegation in to the conference rooms. Rey had yet to see them, herself, so she followed his lead. Rose reached out to take Rey's wrist as they walked.

"Have you seen Poe or Finn?" she whispered to her.

"I haven't," she replied. "Something tells me that whatever it is that they're up to could have waited until after this meeting."

Rose smirked. "In their defense, we weren't expecting them to arrive until tomorrow. It's weird being so… diplomatic. I'm used to working on machines or fighting, not leading."

"I know," Rey agreed. "But we've got to start somewhere, right?"


End file.
